Dear colleagues, The European Political Science Society warmly invites submissions to its *EPSS 2026 Annual Conference* <https://epssnet.org/belfast-2026/>, to be held at the *International Convention Centre Belfast, 18–20 June 2026.* The submission deadline is *7 November 2025*. *Sections for EPSS 2026* We encourage contributions from established scholars as well as early‑career researchers from across all subfields of political science. EPSS covers a broad range of thematic and methodological sections. For the full list of sections and their chairs, please refer to https://epssnet.org/belfast‑2026/call‑for‑papers/. You are welcome to contact section chairs directly with any specific questions about proposals or fit. Both *individual paper proposals* and *pre‑organised panel proposals* are welcome. Most papers will still be submitted individually and grouped into panels by section chairs, but if you prefer to propose a full panel programme, there is a dedicated mechanism for that. *Submission instructions are linked from here: * https://epssnet.org/belfast‑2026/ *New Panel Formats at EPSS 2026* EPSS 2026 introduces several *innovative panel formats* – a significant departure from previous European political science conferences. These new formats were developed through extensive deliberations by the EPSS Council and Conference Committee. Learn more at our detailed announcement describing these here: https://epssnet.org/conferences/epss‑2026‑new‑formats/. Briefly, the new formats include: - *Lightning Rounds* – Fast‑paced presentations: 8 presenters PechaKucha style <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PechaKucha>, 15 slides at 20 seconds each, followed by brief feedback or Q&A. - *Author Meets Critics* – Panel centred on a major scholarly work with discussants offering critique and debate. - *Topical Round Tables* – Discussion of current professional or political issues, ideally including voices from outside academia. - *Agenda‑Setting Panels* – Led by a section chair: a 30‑minute keynote review of a subfield followed by discussants and open discussion. These are convened infrequently (around once every three or four years per section) to highlight future directions. *Why submit to EPSS 2026?* - Be part of a redesigned conference format that promotes dynamic engagement. - Submit via standard or organised routes, with peer review upheld throughout. - Help shape the future direction of political science scholarship in Europe, through a *new, non-profit organisation run by members, for members*. We look forward to your proposals and to welcoming you in Belfast in June 2026. Please feel free to circulate this announcement to colleagues or relevant networks. Warm regards, The EPSS 2026 Conference Committee: Sara Hobolt, Simon Hix, John Garry, Macartan Humphreys, Ken Benoit, Sven‑Oliver Proksch, Zeynep Somer‑Topcu https://epssnet.org